


Peonies, Freesias, and Hyacinths

by RoyaiFan101



Series: Flowers [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Happy ending~ you’re welcome, I’ve never written an epilogue before, Last chapter is gonna be an epilogue, Royai - Freeform, You would think after writing roughly 40 stories I would be better at tags & story summaries, but nope, character death but not a major character, discussions of relationship issues, past minor OC death, usually I just make a sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:27:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27635437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoyaiFan101/pseuds/RoyaiFan101
Summary: The past can’t be fixed, but maybe the future can?
Relationships: Jean Havoc/Rebecca Catalina, Roy Mustang/Riza Hawkeye, mentions of Roy Mustang/Original Character
Series: Flowers [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020439
Comments: 24
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I’ve never written a trial scene, honestly never planned to write one (said the same about a rape fic and yet ‘Nightmares’ exists…) so I apologize if the trial scenes aren’t very good/not super detailed.

Micah Hawkeye and Maes Mustang are nine and six years old when the Ishvallan trials finally commence.

Führer Roy Mustang considers only having State Alchemists that participated in the war be tried for war crimes, thus allowing at least one of his sons to have a mother in his life.

But he knows that Riza will never, ever forgive him if he does.

So he sends the same letter to every single person who will face a trial.

_If you have received this letter, then allow it to be acknowledgement that you, along with myself, will be facing a trial for their role in the Ishvallan War of Extermination._

_The trials will begin on January 7th, 1930. That gives you three months to get all your personal and legal affairs in order._

_Please be advised that photos and a description of you have been given to military police stationed along the borders of Amestris. Any of you that are caught attempting to flee the country will be given an automatic sentencing of guilty, and will be executed in a manner of your own choosing._

_Best Regards,_

_Führer Roy Mustang_

* * *

Roy writes out his will, leaves his Alchemic research to the Elric brothers, and splits his finances fifty-fifty between Micah and Maes, stating that they can’t touch their share of the money until they are twenty-one years old.

He also leaves custody of Maes to Majors Jean and Rebecca Havoc, knowing that Riza has decided to do the same thing with Micah. The two boys might not know about each other now, but at least they’ll get to grow up together.

Being foster brothers is better then being strangers and secret half-brothers.

Madam Christmas and her girls aren’t upset that they don’t get to raise their nephew. They all understand Roy’s desire for his young son to grow up away from the business of Central, especially since he won’t be able to protect him, and the Madam is getting older.

She no longer has the energy to be a mother again.

Since she hasn’t called him up screaming bloody murder, he assumes Riza doesn’t know about his decision to have their boys grow up together.

* * *

“Mom, where are you going?” Micah asks, watching his mother pack a duffel bag.

“Central.” She answers.

“How long will you be gone?” He asks, taking a bite out of the pear in his hand.

“I’m not really sure.” _If everything goes according to plan, I’ll be coming home in a casket_.

“Where will I stay while you’re away?”

“With your Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Jean.” Riza tells him.

“Cool. I’m gonna go pack my toys.” The nine year old shrugs, turning around to walk back to his bedroom.

_At least I got to celebrate one more birthday with him. Riza thinks with a smile._

* * *

“Daddy? Where we goin’?” Maes asked, sticking his thumb in his mouth.

“On a trip.” Roy answered, picking Maes up and resting him on his hip as they entered the private area of the train, used only for the Führer and members of the first family.

“To where?” Maes asked, blue eyes looking around the compartment.

“A special place.”

“The special place where Mommy went to?”

Roy felt his heart stop. It was hard to explain death and an afterlife to a little boy, especially when the death was his mother’s and he himself didn’t believe in an afterlife.

Perhaps Becca and Jean would be able to explain the whole concept better?

“No, bud. Not that special place. You’re gonna go see some old friends of Daddy’s.” Roy answered, setting the boy down in his seat.

“Cause you gotta do furer stuffs?” Maes asked.

“Yeah. It’ll take awhile, so you’re gonna be there for a bit.” Roy told him.

“Okay. Will you get to visit me while I’m there?” Maes questioned, getting excited.

“Maybe, if there’s time.” Roy nodded.

_If all goes right, I won’t be coming back to you._

* * *

On January sixth, Riza puts Micah’s things in the car, and drives over to Rebecca and Jean’s townhome. Jean is sitting on the porch, waiting for her, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Hey Uncle Jean!” Micah yells, hugging the older man.

“Sup kiddo. Go put your stuff inside, gotta talk to your mom about something private real quick.”

“Got it.” Micah nods, picking up one of his two duffle bags and entering the house.

“So what’s wrong?”

“I’m gonna tell you something, and I don’t want you to get mad. At least not loud mad. Okay?” Jean begins.

“Alright...?”

“Mustang came by yesterday.”

“Okay. And?” Riza asks.

_If that motherfucker told Havoc he was Micah’s father, I’m gonna shoot him as soon as I arrive in Central._

“He dropped off his son. Apparently he thinks me and Becca are the best options for the kid, since his side of the family is too old or busy, and his ma’s side doesn’t want anything to do with him since he’s _not a pure blooded Cretan_.” Jean explained, rolling his eyes at Roy’s racist in-laws.

Their daughter, albeit only for a short time, was _the First Lady of Amestris_ before her unanticipated death in childbirth.

They should’ve been _proud_ of Naomi, not shunned her from the family for her husband’s half Amestrian half Xingese ethnicity.

_Oh. This is... unexpected._

“Why are you telling me this?” Riza sighs.

“Because while I don’t know what happened, I know you and Mustang had a falling out and ended on really bad terms. Which... we all got punished for, considering he didn’t take us to Central with him. I just didn’t want you to walk in, see that little boy, and have shit hit the fan.”

“While I admit things are a bit... hostile, between the two of us, I have no intentions of taking it out on his six year old son. Just like I believe he has no intentions of taking his frustrations on me out on my nine year old son.” Riza reassured him.

“Besides, it’s been eight years since he left. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no... ill will between us.” She added.

Riza hoped that she was right.

* * *

“Please give your rank and full name- first, middle, last- and date of birth, please.” The woman at the desk asked Riza.

“Colonel Elizabeth Grace Hawkeye. Date of birth is February 13th, 1889.” Riza answered.

“Alrighty. Do you go by Elizabeth or something else?” The woman asked.

“Riza.”

“Got it. Go through that door, please.”

Riza nodded, walking through the door. There were several benches in the room, and she saw various members of the military, some still serving and others now retired, sitting on the benches. Swallowing harshly, she walked towards the only person she had any sort of relationship with, Brigadier General Alex Louis Armstrong.

“Hello General Armstrong.” She said, sitting down.

“No formatilities, Hawkeye. Not here.” He told her, and Riza nodded in understanding.

“How’s your son handling... all of this?” Alex asked her.

“He doesn’t know. I told him I had to go to Central for work, but I wasn’t very specific on the details.” Riza sighed, eyes downcast at the floor.

“I... I’m sorry.” Alex frowned.

“It’s alright. It was a risk I decided to take when I decided to raise him. How is your family handling the possibility of...”

“Losing the only male Armstrong, now that my parents have passed? How I thought they would. Amue and Strongine are trying to comfort a sobbing Catherine. And Olivier... all she’s said is that she hopes my cowardice in the war pays off.

_I suppose that’s her way of saying she hopes he doesn’t come home in a body bag._

* * *

It soon becomes apparent how Roy plans on doing the trials.

For one, those deciding their punishment will be Ishvallan monks. The order of who’s tried first to last will be based on their rank at the time of the war. Which means those like Hakuro will be one of the first and Riza will be one of if not the last to be tried. The first day will be spent having the defendants announce their plea.

Most, choose _not guilty_ , thinking the entire thing is a waste. It’s been over twenty years for God’s sake. Let the past die.

Riza is surprised to hear Roy say not guilty, until she remembers that he has a son with only one parent. Technically he has two, but that’s her fault entirely.

Very few of them however, like Marcoh, choose _guilty_. Those that do are taken to their cells to spend their final days until all of the verdicts have been made.

All of those that have pleaded or will be convicted guilty will be executed on the same day.

Finally, it’s Riza’s turn.

“Colonel Riza Hawkeye, how do you plea?” The head Ishvallan asks her, red eyes narrowed.

Two decades ago, she would’ve said guilty without hesitation. But she has a son now, a growing boy that still needs his mother. She doesn’t deserve to live, but he deserves to have her at least try.

“Not guilty.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo I made a Tumblr
> 
> *cricket chirps followed by one small whoop from MegTheMighty in the back because she’s honestly the only person I’ve really interacted with*
> 
> It’s the same name as my account here except it’s all lowercase, so if you wanna ask questions about my stories here, give prompt ideas **[no promises I’ll do them though, keep that in mind]** or whatever, go ahead.
> 
> TW: Discussions of sexual assault and pregnancy being a result, but no confirmation of said outcome happening.

By the time the trials are over a month later, out of twenty-seven defendants, twenty are found _guilty_ and privately executed. Most of them choose to face the firing squad, a few choose to be hung, thinking it’ll hurt less.

_They’re wrong._

One sick indivual, a former State Alchemist, chooses to be beheaded.

 _Gross_.

Among those killed, General Fitzgerald Hakuro and former State Alchemist Tim Marcoh are two of them. Both men die with tears in their eyes. Marcoh with peace and acceptance; Hakuro with denial and pleading for mercy he won’t get.

Roy Mustang, Alex Louis Armstrong, and Riza Hawkeye are each one of the few found _not guilty_. Alex because of his refusal to kill innocent lives in the war, and Roy and Riza for their roles in the Promised Day and the rebuilding of Ishval afterwards.

All three have been discharged from the military, and are now civilians. It’s weird, no longer having a rank in front of their name for the first time in twenty five years- thirty if you are Alex.

It’s a good thing Roy gave control back to the Parlimant, no one is running around like a chicken with their head cut off until they elect a new leader, and he’s glad that any of it is no longer his problem.

The man hasn’t been able to sleep in on a Saturday since before Maes was born.

* * *

Riza finds herself sobbing in disbelief at her verdict. She was _so sure_ that Micah would have to spend the rest of his life _without_ her there with him. She had accepted the fact that she wouldn’t see him get married or meet her grandchildren, should he have any children of his own.

She had lived with that mentality since the day she poured the cup of pennyroyal tea down the drain of the kitchen sink in her old apartment.

“You okay?” Roy asked softly, sitting down next to her.

“Yeah. I just... thought I’d be going home in a _body bag_.” She sniffled, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand.

“Yeah... me too.” Roy admitted.

“I heard you left your son Maes with Becca and Jean.”

“Yeah...”

“Why?”

“A number of reasons. I knew he’d be safer there, since they’re both snipers. Not the _best_ , but better then _nothing_. The Madam is getting older, she can’t handle a little kid longer then a few hours at a time. Fullmetal _was_ an option, but last I heard her and Winry had like eighty seven _thousand_ children of their own- couldn’t give them one more mouth to feed. But then again, they have so many they probably wouldn’t have noticed.” Roy shrugged.

Riza let out a snort. “He would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb with that head of black hair.”

“True.”

It was weird, the two of them being civil with each other. The last time they had a private conversation, it ended... not very well.

“So what’s Maes like?”

“He’s a complete goofball. Loves any type of vehicle. Cars, trains, tanks- you name it. He saw a tractor last summer in New Optain, and he acted like it was the coolest thing he had ever seen.” Roy smiled.

“What’s... _you know who_ like?” He asked softly, too scared to say their shared son’s name out loud.

“.... Like you. Driven, determined. Stubborn, but that can also be blamed on _me_. He asks me every other day when I’m going to find him an Alchemy tutor.”

“Maes couldn’t care about Alchemy even if I bribed him to. I can create a bonfire by snapping my fingers, and his response will just be _whatever dad, I’m gonna go play with my blocks now_.”

“Micah would probably have a stroke from the excitement.”

“Does he ever wonder why I’m not around?”

“I told him me and his father had a falling out before I found out I was pregnant with him, and that we decided that everyone would be better off if we weren’t around each other. Better for him to have one parent then two that... don’t really get a long and spend two thirds of the time arguing with each other...” Riza sighed.

Roy frowned, but understood why Riza had said what she said. That was the best way she could have explained it to Micah without making either of them out to be the bad guy.

Because he wasn’t entirely the victim in this situation.

He was the one who _gave up_ on trying to be a Father.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here. We both could use a drink.” Roy declared, standing up, stretching his hand out for her to take.

* * *

The two ended up sharing a case of beer at a hotel room Roy paid for in Riza’s name.

“Maes is lucky to have a dad like you.” Riza stated out of the blue, lounging on the couch and stretching her legs out to lay across his lap.

“Can I tell you something? That you can’t mention to _anyone_.” Roy asked her.

“Sure. What?”

“About two years ago, Maes got sick. Nothing serious, but Knox had to draw his blood for tests. His blood type is _B+_ , mine is _A-_... his Mom’s was _O-_.”

Riza looked at him in horror. “So he’s... not...?”

“Nope. There’s _no way_ he can be mine. No one knows but us and Knox.” He shrugged.

_If I had known from the get-go that he wasn’t truly mine, I might not have named him after two of my fallen companions from my Academy days._

“I’m so sorry.” Riza frowned.

“It’s okay. I’ve gotten over the initial shock of it. Worst part? Despite knowing that I’m _not_ his biological father, I still think he looks like me. I see myself in him, in both looks and personality- minus his disdain for Alchemy. Knowing the truth doesn’t change any of that for me.” Roy sighed.

_I must sound so pathetic._

“What are you gonna do once he gets older?”

“Nothing. As far as he and everyone else in Amestris is concerned, he _is_ my son and his mother was flawless. I’m not going to let Maes think any differently. I just wish Naomi was still alive, so I could learn what happened. Did she cheat on me, or was she... _assaulted_?” Roy huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Were you two trying to get pregnant?” Riz asked.

“Nope. He came completely out of the blue. Honestly, we never really discussed _when_ we wanted to have kids.”

“I didn’t know her in any capacity, but if she was attacked and fell pregnant, I doubt she would’ve _not_ said something to you.” Riza stated, shrugging her shoulders.

“That and she wouldn’t have continued with the pregnancy. She said she _always felt sorry for children that were the result of their mother’s sexual assaults, being constant reminders for their mother’s of what had happened to them and how their child came to be_. No, the most likely scenario is that she cheated on me, and was smart enough to make sure the man- or _men_ \- had black hair.” Roy scoffed.

“Honestly, I’m surprised it never came out that she had had an affair.” He admitted.

“You were _both_ the _Flame Alchemist and_ the _Führer of Amestris_. The man, or men, probably thought to themselves _if I say anything about banging the First Lady, I’ll be turned to ash_. I wouldn’t have said shit either, if I was in their shoes.” Riza shrugged.

_I wouldn’t have been fucking another man’s wife, but that’s just me..._

“What would you have done, if she was still alive when you found out the truth?” She asked softly.

“The entire scenario still being the way it was, except Naomi being alive? I would’ve filed for divorce and kicked her ass to the curb. I loved her, but I’m not that much of a pushover to stay with someone that was unfaithful to me- especially if the unfaithfulness resulted in a _child_. If she was attacked, she could’ve said something- _anything_ \- to me that entire time. I still would’ve been Maes’ Father regardless, but he and everyone else would’ve known why my marriage failed. She could spend the rest of her life with a red A attached to her chest for all I cared.”

The two were silent for a moment, finishing off their beers. It’d been awhile since they could be alone together, without any awkwardness or pressure.

“Can I kiss you?” They both asked simultaneously.

Faces flushed upon the realization that they both asked the same thing, the two sat up and leaned towards each other, and for the first time in over a decade, their lips touched.

And long forgotten sparks flew.

It didn’t take long for them to be dragging each other to the hotel suites bed, being motivated by the buzz of alcohol and freshly dug up feelings for one another. With Riza on her back and Roy on hovering above her, his mouth leaving a trail of kisses from her jaw to her collar bone, as they both work to get their clothing off.

Once they’re both naked, he looks at Riza, her face flushed red and her eyes filled with lust.

“I’m sorry.” She mumbles softly, a small frown on her face. She doesn’t deserve his forgiveness and she knows it. “For... _everything_.”

“I’m sorry, _too_.” He tells her, stroking her hair, shorter then it was on the Promised Day but no where near her trademark pixie cut.

“Can you spread your pretty legs for me?” He coos, stroking her hip bones.

Riza gladly parts her thighs for him, and he does what he regrets not doing the night Micah had been conceived.

He puts his mouth between her legs.

“ _Oh shit_!” She moaned, hands clenching his hair.

* * *

Roy wakes up the next morning hung over and in an empty bed.

_God fucking damnit._

He wasn’t stupid enough to think that last night would result in anything long term with her, but he had been hopefully Riza would at least be there when he woke up.

 _Idiot_.

Doing his best to keep his anger internalized, he got up and slipped on his boxers, intent on getting something in his stomach.

He entered the common area of the hotel room right as Riza was walking back inside through the door, two to-go cups of coffee in her hands.

_She came back._

“Oh darn! I was hoping to be back before you woke up.” She scowled to herself.

_She came back._

“I know it’s been a while, but do you still take a shot of coffee in your cream and sugar?” She asks, putting the cups down on the dining table.

_She came back._

Roy doesn’t answer her, instead deciding to walk up to her, put his hands on either side of her face, and place a searing kiss on her lips. Riza tensed up for half a second in shock, not expecting the kiss, before relaxing with a satisfied moan, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him closer.

He grips her by her thighs, hoisting her up to allow her to wrap her legs around his waist, turning around to carry her back to bed, ignoring the delicious smelling coffee she had gotten them.

_She came back._

* * *

They spent four wonderful days together, spending the majority of their shared ninety-six hours in bed.

“So where are you and Maes going to live, now that you’re not Führer?” Riza mumbled half asleep, laying her head on his chest.

“I still own the house I lived in before I became Führer, most of me and Mars personal belongings should be moved in by now.” Roy answered.

_Do not ask her if she and Micah want to stay with us. It’ll mess up this wonderful thing we’re both enjoying._

“That’s good. Don’t want you two to be homeless.” She yawned.

_Do not ask him to move back to East City, it’ll ruin everything._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The part about little Maes was a bit of a bombshell, huh?
> 
> *proceeds to go to hell*


	3. Chapter 3

Riza spends the next month that she’s home practically glued to Micah, she’s so relieved she gets to watch him grow.

Oh course, her constant hovering frustrates her son.

“Mom! I love you, but can you leave me alone for five minutes!” He wails.

“Nope. I’m your mother, I’m supposed to irritate you.” She smirks, roughling his blonde hair, the way it falls in his wide brown eyes being the physical trait he shares with Roy.

At least so far. There’s still a few more years until puberty begins. Then who knows how much of Roy she and the rest of the world will see in him?

Eventually Micah gets his wish, because two days after his request, Riza finds herself sick to the point where she can’t get out of bed.

“Mom, you okay?” He asks softly, slowly entering her bedroom on her third day of being bed ridden.

“No. I feel utterly awful.”

“Kinda like Summer Crenshaw’s grandpa and Robbie Miller’s mom?”

“Maybe. What happened to them?”

“Summer’s grandpa died and Robbie’s mom had a baby.” Micah shrugged.

“Why aren’t you ready for school?” She asked, changing the subject when she realized he was in his pajamas.

“Mom, it’s _Saturday_.” Micah groaned.

“Oh. Go play, then.” She yawned. “Just stay inside please.” She requested.

“Okay. Love you, mom. Hope you feel better.”

“Love you, too.” Riza sighed, closing her eyes, hoping to fall back to sleep and gain enough energy to be functional for the first time in days.

Only for her eyes to snap open in realization.

_Baby!?_

* * *

Roy found it hard not to imagine Riza and Micah living with him in Maes. The four of them being a small, albeit kinda fucked up if you knew the truth, family together.

“Did you have fun spending time with Becca and Jean?” Roy asked his son over breakfast.

“Yeah. It was fun.” Maes replied, eating cereal.

“What you do?”

“Played catch with Micah. Unless it snowed, then we threw snowballs at each other and built a snow man.”

“I’m glad you had fun.”

_If only I wasn’t a chicken, it could’ve been forever._

* * *

While Micah was at school the following Monday, Riza stared at the test in her hand in utter disbelief.

_You have got to be kidding me? Again!? Come on!_

“What am I gonna do?” She sighed, trying not to cry.

She was forty one and pregnant. And scared. And alone. And didn’t know what to do.

The first thing she did was call Rebecca.

“C-can you come over, Becca? If you aren’t busy?” Riza asked softly.

“ _Sure. Gimme twenty minutes_.”

Rebecca actually showed up in ten minutes, using her spare key to Riza’s townhome to let herself in.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, taking off her jacket.

“ _This_.” Riza sniffled, handing her the test.

“Ho... Holy shit.” Becca gasped. “Who’s the dad?”

Riza sighed, looking down. “Take a wild guess.”

“Oh Christ. Seriously, Reez?”

“Don’t give me that look! We didn’t plan it. It just happened.”

“Again.”

“What am I going to do?” Riza whimpered.

“You’re going to call him and tell him.” Becca informed her, placing both hands on her best friend’s shoulders.

“But what if-“

“Hey. Riza. Listen to me. If he decides he doesn’t want anything to do with this, that’s his choice. Me and Jean will help you out the best way we can. _But you have to at least tell him._ Because if he finds out through someone else, some other way- which we both know that he _will_ \- he’ll never forgive you.” Rebecca reminded her.

“I know.” Riza sniffled, feeling herself being pulled into a hug as the tears began to fall.

* * *

Roy was making dinner when the phone rang.

“Hello?” He heard Maes ask from the living room, having picked the phone up before Roy could get to it.

“Daddy! It’s for you!” He hollered.

“Got it. I’m coming, Imma coming.” Roy sighed, leaving the kitchen and the dinner that was thankfully still cooking in the oven.

“Some lady.” Maes shrugged, holding the phone up for his father to take it.

“Ello?”

“ _Hey_.” A soft voice said.

_Riza?_

“Everything okay?” Roy asked, concerned.

“ _Yes. No. I don’t know?_ ” She sighed.

“What is it?”

“ _I’m pregnant_.” She mumbled.

_What?_

“ _You don’t have to be around, if you don’t want to. Frankly I wouldn’t blame you. But you deserve to know, and to hear it from me._ ” Riza told him.

“Okay.” He said, trying not to faint from the shock.

“ _Yeah. B-bye, I guess_.” And with that, the phone call ended with a click.

* * *

“ _So what did he say?_ ” Becca asked her over the phone.

“Okay.”

“ _Okay?_ ”

“That’s what he said. _Okay_. He didn’t sound angry or excited. He said it like someone told him he was having soup for dinner.”

“ _What the hell? You would think he would show just a small tidbit of emotion being told he’s going to be a Father for the third time!_ ” Becca snarled.

Oh how easy would it be, to tell her best friend that Maes Mustang was in no way, shape, or form biologically related to his supposed father? But that would be betraying Roy’s trust and breaking his heart.

 _Again_.

Even at her worst, Riza wasn’t _that_ selfish and cruel.

“Becca, please keep your voice down. I don’t want Jean to hear you.” Riza begged her.

“ _Oh relax, Ri. He went to Breda’s house to play poker. He won’t be back for hours_.” Becca reassured her.

“Alright.”

“So does Micah know he’s gonna be a big brother? Again?”

“I haven’t told him yet. Was more focused on telling Roy.”

“ _Is it weird calling him that, now that y’all are no longer enlisted?_ ”

“Very.”

* * *

 _Who in the fuck is pounding on my front door at eight am?!_ Riza groaned, slowly dragging herself out of bed.

“Mom! Someone is at the door!” She heard Micah yell from his bedroom upstairs.

_No shit, Sherlock._

Unlocking and opening the door, she was surprised to see Roy standing there, looking disheveled, a half asleep little boy leaning back against his legs in front of him.

 _He does look like Roy_. Riza thought surprised. She didn’t get much of a look at him when they picked up their sons from Becca and Jean.

“Roy?”

“H-Hey. Can I- _we_ \- come in?” He asked her.

Nodding, she stepped aside, watching as Roy scooped up his half asleep son and carried him inside.

“Put him on the couch.”

“Sorry he’s asleep. Wanted to get here on the first train out of Central. Which... left at five am.” Roy admitted, rubbing the back of his neck once he had laid Maes down on Riza’s sofa.

“What are you- _mmph!_ ” She let out a squeak when his lips pressed against hers, his hands resting on her hip bones.

“I’m not gonna let you do this alone, Riza. We can stay here in East City, move back to Central, or go somewhere else entirely. I don’t care. But I’m not losing you again.” He told her.

“Okay.” Riza smiled, resting her forehead against his.

She watched as his eyes dropped, his thumbs tracing small circles on her stomach. She knew what he was thinking. Knew how terrified he must be about his past with Naomi repeating itself. While she couldn’t reassure him that she would survive the delivery, she could reassure him on something else.

“ _The baby is yours_. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have called you. And if I had any doubts, I would’ve told you on the phone.” Riza said softly.

She saw Roy’s eyes light up, glistening with unshed tears, as he wrapped his arms around her, his cheek resting against the top of her head. She wasted no time in hugging him back.

“I love you.” He mumbled.

“I love you, too.” She cooed.

_Maybe things will be okay again?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the Epilogue.
> 
> Based on how much of it is completed, expect it sometime in the next week.


	4. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The formatting for this chapter might be a bit confusing, because some parts go from the present to a different scene in the past.
> 
> I figured I would warn y’all.

_Five years later_

“ _Makenna Grace!_ ”

“ _Mavis Christine!_ ”

Roy and Riza both hollered for their four and three year old daughters, having discovered their two black haired princess had colored on the hallway wall with their crayons. The two frustrated and borderline exhausted parents sighed in frustration, looking at the art work.

A purple dog. A yellow bunny. A green version of what appeared to be their East City home. An orange and blue... _what in the hell is that even supposed to be?_

“Yes Mama? Yes Daddy?” Makenna, the older of the two, asked her parents, Mavis standing behind her.

“Why did you two draw on the wall?” Roy huffed.

“We didn’t do that.” Makenna piped up, her black eyes wide as her voice feigned innocence.

“Oh yeah. And who did?” Riza scoffed.

“ _Meredith_.” Makenna informed them, Mavis nodding behind her older sister, her little black pigtails swaying with the movement.

_Oh yeah. Their little sister who’s been asleep for two hours totally drew on the wall._

“Girls, you two are gonna clean this up. Here’s a bucket of water and some sponges. Don’t leave this spot until it’s all gone.” Roy told them, pointing to the bucket between he and Riza’s feet.

“But-“ Mavis opened her mouth to protest.

“No buts.”

“ _Fiiiiiine_.” Makenna groaned, throwing her head back.

The two girls stomped towards their parents, each of them picking up a sponge and getting it wet, scrubbing half heartedly to remove their art work.

“Winry and Edward always made it sound like girls were _easier_ then boys.” Roy whispered in her ear, as they walked back downstairs to the living room.

“Right? Those two are _impossible_ sometimes. Maybe it’s because we’re older?” Riza sighed, collapsing on the couch, Roy flopping down next to her.

Their two older little girls could be absolute terrors, and if they weren’t trying to play dress up with their mother's clothes, they were annoying the hell out of their older brothers, both of whom were now in the teen and preteen stages of life. And it was only a matter of time until eighteen month old _Meredith Paige_ joined in on her big sisters torturous adventures.

It had gotten to the point where Micah had made a lock for his bedroom door using Alchemy, just to keep Makenna and Mavis _out_ of his room.

Maes, not interested in Alchemy, had resorted to begging his dad and step mom to _sell_ his little sisters instead, and use the money to go on a really cool vacation.

 _No_. Had been the answer he got for his suggestion.

“Who knows?” Roy groaned, laying his head in her lap.

_Splash!_

“Oops.”

“Mama! Daddy!”

_Uggghhhhhh._

* * *

One of the things the two had been hoping for when they had decided to raise their children in East City instead of Central was peace and privacy.

That wasn’t the case.

A week after Mavis had turned three, Micah had learned _why_ his mom had to take the trip out to Central five years prior.

From his teacher, of all people.

“You could’ve been executed?” Micah hissed at her, keeping his voice down in an attempt to not upset the youngsters.

“Yes.” Riza sighed.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Micah asked.

“What kind of a parent says something like that to their at the time nine year old child? _Oh hey, I’m going to Central, might die while I’m gone. Love you!_ ” Riza scoffed.

Micah frowned, knowing she was right.

“Where you surprised they let you and Dad live?” He asked her.

It was still weird for her and Roy to hear Micah calling him _Dad_ , even though he still didn’t know that Roy was his biological father and not his step father.

“Very.” Riza sighed.

* * *

Micah _did_ know Roy was his real Father.

Overhearing them talk about it when he slowly walked passed their closed bedroom in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, after Mavis had been born but before Meredith had been conceived, had allowed him to know the truth.

“ _He’s going to hate me if he ever finds out I’m really his father_.” Roy had sighed, a sadness in his voice an eleven year Micah could hear clear as day.

“ _He’ll hate me, too. I’m the one that kept pushing you away_.” Riza had said.

Micah had decided then and there never to mention his discovery to his parents unless they did first.

He started calling him dad two months later.

* * *

“ _Do I have to call you mom?_ ” Maes had asked Riza, back during her pregnancy with Makenna.

The heavily pregnant blonde put the plate she was cleaning back into the soapy water, and turned to look down at her stepson.

“ _Not if you don’t want to_.” She replied.

“ _You’re okay with me calling you Riza?_ ” He asked timidly, as if unsure.

While happy he got to play with Micah again and excited to be getting a new brother or sister, Maes still wasn’t sure on the whole new mother figure that came with the two new siblings.

Riza bent down to look him in the eyes, not an easy task being eight months pregnant. “ _I’m okay with whatever it is you wanna call me. You can call me Riza or you can call me mom. Me and your dad agreed it’s up to you._ ” She explained to him.

While she was prepared to fill in the empty role Naomi’s death had caused, she had no intentions of outright _replacing_ the woman.

“ _Okay Riza. Can I go outside and play?_ ” Maes asked.

“ _Stay in the backyard and be careful!_ ” She said, standing back up as he ran out the back door.

* * *

“ _Can I have Dad’s last name?_ ” A twelve year old Micah had asked, walking up to his parents as they paid bills at the kitchen counter.

They looked up at him in surprise.

Changing Micah’s surname from _Hawkeye_ to _Mustang_ was something that, truthfully, they never discussed doing. Despite him being _biologically_ \- and now _legally_ \- Roy’s son, it was still... weird.

“ _May we ask why you’re wanting to do this?_ ” Roy had asked cautiously.

Micah shrugged “ _Why not? Everyone else in this house does_.” He pointed out to them.

_I want to have my Dad’s last name._

Roy looked over at Riza, the look on his face telling her the decision was up to her. “ _I don’t have a problem with it. We’ll see what we need to do to start the process on Monday_.” She responded.

“ _Cool. I’m gonna go to the park. Love y’all!_ ” He hollered.

“ _Be home before dark!_ ” His parents yelled after him.

“ _Got it!_ ” Micah yelled over his shoulder.

Later that night Roy cried in Riza’s arms.

* * *

“Maybe we should leave East City?” Roy suggested, as they got ready for bed.

“And go back to Central?” Riza grimaced, brushing her teeth.

“Nah. Somewhere smaller.” He clarified.

“Ooh. We could move back to your childhood home? It’s got its perks.”

“And what’s that? Moldy walls and rotten flooring?” Riza scoffed.

“Plenty of space for the kids to grow up, privacy. There’s enough bedrooms for all the kids to get their own room.” He explained.

That _was_ a positive.

Right now, Makenna and Mavis shared a room, and Meredith would be going from her parents room and into her sisters room as soon as she was out of the crib.

“You really want to live _there_?”

“I have happy memories there, and I honestly don’t think every single one of yours were bad, either.”

_No. They weren’t all bad._

“You still own it?”

“Yes. How about this; we’ll drop the kids off with Becca and Jean for the weekend, go over there and see how bad it is. If we don’t think it can be fixed in a decent amount of time, you think of another option. Because I’m _tired_ of their teachers discussing things from _our past_ with _our kids_ without forewarning us first, instead choosing to _assume_ that we had already told them.” Riza growled.

The Ishvallan Trials had only been the first of many topics Micah had learned in school. Others were their parents roles during the war and the events of the Promised Day. How the school managed to learn that the Hawk’s Eye had survived her throat being slit was something they hadn’t figured out.

They weren’t angry their oldest son had learned their roles in those events. They were angry the school had taken their chance to inform Micah themselves, when they believed he was ready to understand it.

“Deal.”

* * *

“ _Do we have anything in common? Besides dad?_ ” A then eight year old Maes asked Riza, playing a game of checkers with her, something that was much easier for the eight year old to figure out then chess was.

“ _How our mothers died.._.” Riza frowned.

“ _Oh_.”

“ _Yeah_.”

“ _Where you worried you would die like your mom did, when my siblings were born?_ ”

Maes question surprised Riza. She wasn’t expecting something so deep from her eight year old stepson.

“ _I’ll admit I was a little scared when I was having Micah. Your Father was terrified of it happening when your sisters were born_.” Riza explained.

“ _That makes sense_.”

“ _Do you think I killed my mom?_ ” The question utterly horrified her.

“ _No. Nor do I think I killed my own mother. And your Father definitely doesn’t think you killed her, either. These things happen, and it’s beyond anyone’s control. It’s like when you climb a tree and fall out of it. Sometimes you break a bone, sometimes you don’t._ ” Riza explained to him the best way that she could.

“ _Okay. I kinda wish we didn’t lose all her pictures when the water pipes busted in our old house_.“ Maes sighed.

Busted pipes. After learning that Maes wasn’t his, Roy retaliated by burning all the photos of he and Naomi together.

Their wedding album? Reduced to ash.

“ _Sucks there’s only one left of her. But at least the one dad was able to salvage is the one where you can see I’m in her tummy_.” Maes said, cheering up.

“ _King me!_ ” He declared triumphantly.

* * *

The manor, honestly... wasn’t as bad as Riza had been expecting it to be.

It was bad, no doubt about it, she had just expected worst.

“Huh. I figured there would be more holes in the walls and floors.” She admitted, walking around the kitchen.

“Yeah. Doesn’t smell as bad, either.” Roy agreed.

“How long do you think it’ll take to fix up and make it livable again?” She asked him.

“With Alchemy? Couple weeks.”

* * *

The answer ended up being six months.

* * *

While the girls were all taking their naps, Roy and Riza entered the kitchen while Micah and Maes were doing their homework, intent on informing them of the up coming changes.

“Boys, we have some big news to tell you two.”

“Oh no!” Micah groaned.

“Not again!” Maes wailed.

_Huh?_

“You two gotta be joking! Y’all are _too old_! Dad’s already fifty, and mom- you aren’t much younger!” Micah scolded them.

“What the hell are you guys talking about?” Roy snapped at them.

“We don’t want another baby in the family!” Maes cried.

“I’m _not_ pregnant!” Riza yelped.

“You’re not?” Micah asked.

“No.” Roy huffed.

“ _My last egg shriveled up and died almost a year ago_.” Riza scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“Oh.” Maes said, he and Micah sighing with relief.

“So what’s the news?” Micah asked.

“We’re moving.” They stated.

“What!?” Micah yelped.

“We’re moving back to my old childhood home.” Riza informed them.

“It’s out of Easy City, but it’s a lot bigger then this house is.” Roy added.

“I’d rather the news be another sibling.” Maes whined, slamming his head down on the table.

* * *

It was clear the boys weren’t excited about the move.

They both have attitudes as they pack up the stuff in their rooms.

“Lose the attitude, you two. It won’t change the fact that it’s happening.” Riza told them, as Becca helped her pack up the kitchen.

“I still can’t believe y’all are leaving! Just up and leaving and taking away my name sake.” Becca wailed, motioning her arm to Meredith, who was sitting in her high chair and eating cereal, watching her mama and godmother pack up the house.

“You two share a _middle_ name. Quit acting like we named her _Rebecca_.” Riza scoffed.

“And we’re only gonna be a two hour train ride away. That’s closer then if we were moving to Central.” Riza reminded her.

“I know.” Rebecca pouted.

“Quit pouting.” Riza teased her.

_Smash!_

“Makenna! Mavis! What did you two just break?!” Riza snapped, storming out of the kitchen to find her troublesome toddlers.

“Uh oh.” Meredith babbled from her seat.

“ _Uh oh_ is right.” Becca grimaced, running her fingers through Meredith’s dirty blonde hair.

* * *

The children were not expecting to move to a Manor and not another townhome.

“Whoa.”

“This is gonna be so much fun!” Makenna shrieked.

Their four oldest children were about to run in like little hellions, until Roy stopped them.

“Hold it! A few rules!” He told them.

“One, there’s enough bedrooms for you to each have your own. Two, me and your mother get the biggest room. No go on and pick your rooms!” He declared, waving them off with a flick of his wrist.

“Do _not_ kill each other!” Riza yelled after them, shaking her head.

She turned to her husband of four and a half years and smiled at him.

“We should get a dog.” He decided.

“We should.” Riza agreed.

It had been a long time since Hayate had passed away.

“I’m gonna go make sure they haven’t spilled any blood.” Roy sighed, walking into the house.

Riza let out a slow breath, glancing down at a sleeping Meredith in her arms. She kissed her littlest baby on her forehead, looked up at the manor she had grown up in, and for the first time in her life, saw it as _home_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those that might have an issue with Roy and Riza having three little girls so close together in age _(talking to you peartato & your big old bag of birth control balloons)_ consider this:
> 
> They spent over eight years apart, and even before they went their separate ways, they had to be extremely professional around one another. They are making up for lost time and can’t keep their hands off of each other (and certain body parts _out_ of each other) thus causing them to have three children in... 2 1/2 years? 3 years? I dunno.
> 
> I never thought I’d write a Royai fic where all their kids have their first & last names start with an M, which is something I normally can’t stand. 
> 
> Don’t expect me to make a habit out of that.  
>    
> _Micah John Mustang  
>  Maes Heathcliffe Mustang  
> Makenna Grace Mustang  
> Mavis Christine Mustang  
> Meredith Paige Mustang_
> 
> How cool is it that all of their children’s middle names are after someone? Micah & Makenna’s middle names are after Riza & Roy; Maes’ is after Heathcliffe Erb **(IT SOUNDS LIKE HE’S SAYING HIS LAST NAME IS ARM IN THE SHORT HE’S IN AND NO ONE CORRECTED ME IN THE FIC MONSTER!)** ; Mavis’ is after Madam Christmas; and Meredith is after Becca)
> 
> Micah: Prophet  
> John: Has Shown Favor  
> Maes: Unexplained  
> Heathcliffe: Cliff Near a Heath  
> Makenna: Happiness  
> Grace: Grace  
> Mavis: Joy  
> Christine: Follower of Christ  
> Meredith: Protector of the Sea  
> Paige: Attendant


End file.
